MotoGP News: Marc Marquez bags stunning pole in Hungary

The inaugural MotoGP qualifying session at Balaton Park delivered plenty of drama and surprises, setting the stage for two thrilling races. Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) claimed pole position with a new lap record, while his closest rival this weekend, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory), crashed out.

Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) missed Q2, and Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) staged another impressive comeback from Q1 to secure a front-row spot.

Q1: Heavyweights Battle It Out

Just like in Austria, Aprilia Racing’s Bezzecchi and reigning champion Jorge Martin found themselves in Q1, joined this time by Bagnaia. Bezzecchi, who advanced from Q1 to take pole in Austria, topped the session again. Bagnaia briefly held second before Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) surged ahead. Di Giannantonio clinched the second Q2 spot, edging out Binder. Bagnaia, alongside Binder and Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP), finished P13 to P15. This marks Bagnaia’s first Q2 miss since Indonesia 2023—though he went on to win that race.

Q2: Crashes and Comebacks

Drama unfolded early in Q2 when Acosta, the only rider to outpace Marquez this weekend, crashed on his first run and had to scramble back to the pits to keep his pole hopes alive. Meanwhile, Marquez dominated, setting the fastest time and improving it with red sectors. After the first runs, Marquez led, followed by Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) in second, with Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) pushing Aldeguer to fourth.

Acosta returned for the second runs, but Bezzecchi made the biggest move, recovering from a brief gravel trap excursion to place his Aprilia second, just ahead of Di Giannantonio. No one could challenge Marquez, who further lowered his time to solidify his lead.

The Grid

The front row features Marquez, Bezzecchi, and Di Giannantonio. Bastianini continues his strong form in fourth, followed by Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in fifth. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), the only Yamaha in Q2, secured an impressive sixth. Acosta, hampered by his crash, starts seventh and will need a strong start to climb the order. Aldeguer takes eighth, with Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) edging out teammate Mir for ninth.

Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Tech3), filling in as a test rider, rounds out the Q2 runners in tenth after a late crash. Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) starts 11th, a costly position for the championship contender, especially with a three-place grid penalty looming for Sunday. The fourth row includes Binder, Miller, and Bagnaia, but Binder’s three-place penalty will shuffle Sunday’s lineup: Mir, Espargaro, and Binder on row four, followed by Bagnaia, Alex Marquez, and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) on row five. Martin starts in P16, ahead of Miller.

Get ready for an explosive race! Click here for full MotoGP qualifying results from Hungary.

Qualifying Results